Track-sander.



No. 867,434. v PATENT'BD OCT. 1, 1907. J. M. SMITH, TRACK SANDER. 4 APPLIOATION FILE!) JAN. 30,1907;

THE n a WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH M. SMITH, OF

WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM J. SAUNDERS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

TRACK-SANDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1, 1907.

Application filed January 30,1907. Serial No. 854,847.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH M. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Track-Sander, of which the following is a specification.

Numerous devices have been designed .for the purpose of providing an efficient means for distributing sand on tracks, especially for use on electric cars. Some of these have had in view the utilization of the compressed air with which certain types of cars are provided for this purpose. The compressed air devices have, so far as I am aware, been of such a nature that the air was intended to force the sand directly through a pipe or other conveyer into a position to drop on the track. These compressed air devices have not worked satisfactorily. They as well as most of the mechanical devices required the use of finely screened and dried sand in order to secure any degree of efficient operation. This increases the expense of operation and renders the sanders practically inoperative when the sand gets moist after it is put in the hopper.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a track sander which can be operated efficiently by compressed air or by mechanical means with wet and practically unscreened sand and to improve the construction thereof and increase efiiciency and decrease expense of construction, and especially of operation.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a car, showing a device constructed according to this invention operating with compressed air. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a valve shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan of a feature, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same invention connected up for operation mechanically,

At any convenient point on the car, preferably under a seat inside the car, is located a casing 10. This casing may be made of any desired material but it is shown as constructed of sheet iron. It is provided with ends 11 having spiders 12 thereon in which is journaled a shaft 13. On this shaft is a worm 14 inside the casing. This worm is preferably constructed of small pitch or rather with double flights. It extends from one end of the casing to the other and above the casing is mounted a hopper15 having at least one slanting side 16. In the present instance this side is on the front of the box and tends to deliver the sand toward the rear thereof. The bottom of this front slanting side is located at a sufficient distance from the end of the conveyer and from the passage 17 through which the sand is discharged therefrom so that when the worm is not in motion, the sand will rest on the bottom of the casing and not be discharged through the discharge opening, but when the worm is turned in the direction of the arrow, even a slight motion will cause the same to be discharged.

For the purpose of operating the worm, a wheel 18 is mounted on the shaft, this wheel preferably comprising a fiat disk and being provided with teeth or flukes 19. These teeth are shown curved and of two different lengths, the short teeth having a space between their ends and the hub to permit air to be discharged. The short teeth are preferably arranged alternately with the longer teeth. The parts so far described are the same in all the figures of the drawings.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the wheel is inclosed in a casing 20 and a nozzle 21 is so located that it will direct compressed air against the teeth or flukes and rotate the wheel in the proper direction. The compressed air is fed to the nozzle through piping 22 in which is a valve 23. This valve is provided with a springv 24 to normally hold it closed and with a valve stem 25 on which rests the lower end of a rod 26 which has a head 27 in the platform of the car, normally held by the spring of the valve in elevated position. When the motorman desires to apply sand he steps on this head and this compresses the spring and opens the valve, allowing the compressed air to flow through and operate the wheel. A cap 37 is shown for protecting the head 27 when not in use. It will be seen that by carrying out the invention in such a way as this, the sand cannot in any way clog the passages through which the air travels as the air does not come into contact with the sand, moreover, the action is intermittent and the spring prevents the accidental operation of the device when the foot is removed from the head 27. As a certain kind of cars are provided with the compressed air, it is a simple matter to connect it up in this way to provide for controlling the sanding of the tracks. When the device is to be employed on cars not equipped with compressed air, the wheel 18 may be constructed in the same way but is provided with a spring pressed pawl 30 shown in Fig. 6, which is operated by a lever 31 to oscillate back and forth under the teeth of the wheel. A spring 32 holds the pawl in contact with the teeth so that as the pawl oscillates, it will intermittently rotate the wheel giving it the same motion that it has when operated by air in the manner described above. The lever is preferably operated by a rod 33 and head 34 in the same manner as has been described above, a spring 35 being employed normally to keep the head in elevated inoperative position. In both cases the worm is operated intermittently and the hopper and Worm are so designed that sand will be held in the casing until the Worm is operated and then Will be freely discharged.

With either constructions Wet sand can be, and in fact preferably is, used, which is a great advantage in this particular art.

'While I have illustrated and described certain forms in Which the invention can conveniently be embodied, I am aware that modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not Wish to be limited to the particular construction shown, but

What I do claim is 1. In a track sanding device, the combination of a casing, a worm in the casing, a shaft on which the worm is mounted, a wheel on the shaft having alternate long and short llukes or teeth, a casing; for the wheel, and means for directing compressed air into the casing at an angle against the teeth.

In a track sanding device, the combination of a worm, a toothed wheel connected with said worm for operating it, a casing in which said wheel is located, and a nozzle l located in position to direct compressed teeth or fiukes of said wheel.

3. In a track sanding" device, the combination worm, a toothed wheel connected with said worm for operating it, a casing in which said wheel is located, a nozzle located in position to direct compressed air against the teeth or flukes of said wheel, and means for controlling the flow of air to said nozzle, said means comprising a valve having a spring for keeping it closed, a valve stem connected with said valve, a rod resting on said valve stem, and a button on the platform of the car, whereby the depression of said button will open the valve and the spring will immediately close it when the pressure is removed.

t. In a track sanding device, the combination of a worm, a shaft, :1 disk wheel mounted rigidly with respect to the shaft and having alternating long' and short Ihlkes or teeth on one side thereof, the outer ends of all the teeth being at the same distance from the axis of the wheel, a casing for the wheel and means for directing compressed air against the teeth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set; my hand. in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH M. SMITH.

air against. the

Witnesses ALBERT E. FAY,

LoUIs W. Sou'rnoyrn. 

